Traditional arts award winners announced

Fourteen artists were recognized for their achievements intraditional Chinese arts

By Vico Lee / STAFF REPORTER

Winners and organizers of the Global Chinese Culture and Arts Award pose for cameras yesterday in Taipei.

PHOTO: VICO LEE, TAIPEI TIMES:

The winners of the prestigious annual Global Chinese Culture and Arts Award (全球中華文化藝術薪傳獎), now in its 10th year, were announced yesterday in Taipei. Fourteen winners, in nine categories, won rainbow-colored circle trophies, symbolizing the passing down from one generation to the next of the traditional arts and crafts.

The formal award ceremony is scheduled for Oct. 11 at Taipei's Sun Yat-sen Memorial Hall. At the ceremony, many of the 128 former winners will also gather to mark the award's 10 year history.

The phrase "hsin chuan" (薪傳) in the award's Chinese name, means "passing down to the next generation," as Lien Ting-guei (連丁貴), general convener of this year's award, explained.

"This is a culture and arts award, but more importantly, this is a `hsin chuan' award. We do not want to create cultural superstars out of the award but to recognize people who have worked for a long time in their respective fields to pass down their skills to the next generation," Lien said.

All candidates for the award must be over 40 years old and be currently working in a field of traditional arts and crafts. As it's a global award, ethnic Chinese artists working outside Taiwan may participate. Two of the winners are overseas Chinese.

The award works on a recommendation basis. Both government agencies and private institutions were encouraged to submit their recommendations from March to July, a period longer than in previous years because of the SARS outbreak earlier this year.

The organizer, Senior Jaycees Club, Republic of China, was relieved to see the award otherwise unaffected by the outbreak.

"As a civil organization, we're glad to let people know through hosting the award, that there are more good things from Taiwan than lotteries," Lien said.

Temple painter Pan Yuei-hsiung, like most other winners, had a humble attitude toward his winning the Folk Crafts Prize. "My father and grandfather told me we do not paint for fame or money, but for the glory of gods and the good of mankind," Pan said.

Pan's father is a former prize winner.

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